The Rio Zarza Gold Project is located north of Zamora, the district capital of Zamora Chinchipe province, southeastern Ecuador. The project adjoins the Kinross (formerly Aurelian) exploration license which covers the Fruta del Norte epithermal deposit with a reported 13.7Moz Au (Micon, 2007).

Permits

The stages and permits necessary prior to continued exploration and drilling according to the new Mines Act and Government directives are as follows:

The final remaining Environmental Management Plan and Environmental License approvals are expected to be received this month. The renewal of the environmental bond is a routine process and immediately follows the Environmental License issuance.

Preparation for Drilling

In anticipation of the imminent approval of these permits, Ecometals is taking the following actions preparing for the start of 1200m of diamond drill testing of combined geological, structural, geochemical and geophysical anomalies:

- Requests for proposals from and negotiations with international and local Ecuador-based drilling contractors

Drilling will utilize a man-portable rig to minimize the environmental impact of access road construction. Drill holes will be inclined to determine the orientation of structures and mineralized veins. Holes will start using HQ (nominal 63.5mm) and reduce to NQ (47.6mm) with depth.

Core will be transported from the drill site to the Rio Zarza camp, where logging and sampling will be conducted. Samples will be despatched using full chain of custody documentation to the ALS Chemex sample preparation laboratory in Quito and analysed at the Als Chemex laboratory in Lima, Peru. ALS Chemex is an ISO certified laboratory.

QC will include standard insertion of control samples (blanks, Certified Reference Material, and duplicates) at 10% frequency, and the in-house Qualified Person will supervise drilling and sampling.

Further details and maps of the planned drilling program can be obtained from the Ecometals Web site (www.ecometalslimited.com).

Chief Executive Officer Fran Scola said, "The regularization of the mining industry and increased environmental protection measures in Ecuador have created a more equitable and competitive industry more in line with Canadian norms. This will add considerably to sustainable economic diversification and development, and Ecometals is pleased to be a contributor to this."

Qualified Person

SR McMullan, P.Geo, Vice President of Exploration for Ecometals Limited, is a qualified person according to National Instrument 43-101 definition and has supervised the preparation of the technical information included in this press release.

About Ecometals

Ecometals Limited is a Canadian-listed mineral exploration and development company focused on mineral resources in Latin America. Ecometals also has significant manganese and iron projects in Brazil at grass roots and development planning stages.

Safe Harbor Statement: Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements which involve risk and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements.

These include risks relating to changes in economic or environmental conditions and the company's ability to execute its business model and strategic plans. The company relies on litigation protection for forward-looking statements.

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."